Mountaineering

Did you know? The first American to summit Everest did so in a LOWA Boot. That was Jim Whittaker, back in 1963. Product tested in the Alps (in our own backyard,) on the world’s most demanding peaks, our Mountaineering boots are constructed to push through extreme conditions, tricky climbs and demanding descents without compromising LOWA’s unrivaled fit, durability and warmth.

Mountaineering Shoes Lowa

Mountaineering Shoes: Did you know? The first American to summit Everest did so in a LOWA Boot. That was Jim Whittaker, back in 1963. Product tested in the Alps (in our own backyard,) on the world’s most demanding peaks, our Mountaineering boots are constructed to push through extreme conditions, tricky climbs and demanding descents without compromising LOWA’s unrivaled fit, durability and warmth.

Mountaineering Shoes:In 1930/31 the first factory buildings were constructed, 15 metres long by 6 metres wide. The shoemakers were accommodated in the attic space, amongst them the apprentice Sepp Lederer. In the mornings he had to heat up the stove, prepare the water to soak the leather and clean the shoes belonging to the family of master craftsmen who were his employers. In those days one paid tuition fees for the privilege of obtaining an apprenticeship and places were not easy to find, especially in such a modern shoemakers´ business as LOWA. It was the time of the world economic recession and it was possible to pick up machines at knock-down prices from shoemakers who had gone bust. Yet even so, certain acquisitions were only made possible by the extra income generated by the family’s music making – and they were all good musicians.

Mountaineering Shoes:In 1945, Lorenz Wagner began again – with no raw materials and with out-of-date equipment, but with a full measure of optimism. From 1948 onwards, he and his co-workers (the workforce was, unfortunately, still not at full strength) produced a comprehensive range of footwear, from the double-stitched mountaineering boots to ski boots and lightweight "California" sandals. The brothers, who had founded their own shoemaking businesses before the war in nearby villages, now became serious competitors – an additional spur for Lorenz Wagner to become even bigger and even better. The competition between Lorenz, Hans and Adolf bred three different brands – LOWA, Hanwag and Hochland.

Mountaineering Shoes: In 1949 and 1950, business was good. Demand was lively for products that had previously become unavailable. But it was not only the goods that were in short supply: money, too, was tight. It was a fruitful time for the speculators. During the Korean crisis, raw material prices rose by as much as 50% and leather became an object of speculative investment. LOWA bought whatever was going, happy to get the material into the factory and to be able to continue working. Suddenly, prices fell, yet the high invoices still had to be paid and LOWA was still feeling the financial strain of rebuilding the factory. Overnight, the company became insolvent. The bank closed off the line of credit. Lorenz Wagner, who had sacrificed all his energies and even his health for his life’s work, was badly hit. He died on Easter Sunday 1953, at the age of sixty.

Mountaineering Shoes: And this way LOWA continued to expand. A three-year construction programme gave rise to a collection of factory buildings that is impressive even at first glance. The 2, 305 sq. m. stores represent the last word in logistics. There is a new and friendly feel to the reception area, production, admin, syndicate and meetings rooms and canteen. The thing we are really proud of is the fact that all the renovation and building work was carried out with ergonomic considerations as the baseline criteria, true to the company´s philosophy of putting people first. Today, LOWA has at its disposal a total of 6, 206 sq. m. of workspace – and we will need every square centimetre, for we are again on course for expansion!